Australia Debris Search Task Still 'Very Difficult': Expert

Australian Maritime Safety Authority

A map released shows cumulative search areas in the Indian Ocean.

Strong currents and poor visibility in the Indian Ocean area where possible objects were spotted will make the search for missing Flight 370 “very difficult indeed” despite the new lead, an aviation and maritime expert said Thursday.

Surface debris may have moved up to 620 miles over 13 days – the length of time since the Malaysia Airlines jet went missing - making it hard for authorities to pinpoint the location of the plane even if the objects are proven to be connected to the investigation, Professor Jason Middleton of the University of New South Wales in Australia told Sky News.

The sea is up to two and a half kilometers [1.5 miles] deep in the area, he said.

“They will have to work out how the currents might have shifted the debris in recent days in order to know where to look,” he said. “This will be a very difficult task.”

“The visibility is likely to be four kilometres [2.5 miles],” he added.